Monday, August 11, 2014

Six scrapie cases in Ontario since June 4

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency reports that there were
six cases of scrapie in Ontario during June and July.

On June 4, it recorded two cases in goats, on June 16, 18 and
30 three more cases in goats, and two cases in sheep – June 18 and July 31.

Scrapie is a disease that farmers, veterinarians or others
who notice symptoms are required to report to the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency. There has been a national scrapie surveillance program in place since
2005.

Manitoba is struggling with outbreaks of equine infectious
anemia and Saskatchewan had three reports of chronic wasting disease in elk.

Chronic wasting disease is similar to mad cow’s disease in
that both are related to prions that destroy the animals’ brains.